Robust doping control programme in place for Delhi CWG 2010 - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

The Commonwealth Games Delhi 2010 Organising Committee with the support of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has made robust plans to ensure that Delhi 2010 Games are free from anti-doping rule violations. The programme enacted is a blend of deterrence, detection and education. The CGF, which will be the Anti-Doping Organisation during the Games, has constituted a nine-member Medical Commission chaired by Dr. M. Jegathesan of Malaysia. The other eight members come from different Commonwealth nations including the host city representative to supervise doping control activities in the Games. The CGF has approved a test distribution plan of 1500 doping control tests, 250 blood tests, 150 EPO tests and 150 Pre-Competition tests -- the highest ever in any Commonwealth Games. According to TDP, athlete selection will be done randomly from among medallists. Target testing will also be done. The participating athletes from 71 CGAs shall be subjected to unannounced doping control tests, anytime and anywhere during the period of the Games. The CGF has enacted anti-doping standard for Delhi 2010 and will be applicable to all athletes including para athletes. The doping control will be operational from September 23 to October 14, 2010. The OC, through its Doping Control Division, has trained more than 450 Doping Control Officials (DCOs) for Delhi 2010. The selection and the training of these officials have been conducted in accordance with International Standards of WADA. They have been selected from many streams including doctors, sports medicine experts, physiotherapists and physical education professors. State-of-the-art Doping Control Stations will be available at all competition venues. A Dope Centre has been set up at the Games Village while the Command Centre will be at the Games Headquarters. Each venue will have a dedicated Doping Control, Team with a Doping Control Venue Manager, DCOs, Chaperone Coordinators and Chaperones. "The OC has left everlasting legacy to the sports arena by setting up doping control facilities at all competition venues and training venues at par with international standards," said Dr. Munish Chander, Deputy Director General (Doping Control) of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee. "These facilities will be used solely for doping control purpose after the end of the Games. Proper doping control infrastructure will be in place with proper doping control equipment, training and education material and a trained workforce of doping control professionals." CGF has also nominated five international DCOs from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Oman, Kazakhstan and Singapore, who will work closely with NDCOs. In addition, WADA has also deployed a team of independent observers to oversee the arrangements and execution. They will come out with a report on doping control report at the end of the Games. A three-member Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) Committee under the chairmanship of Prof. Ken Fitch of Australia has been set up by CGF to manage Games-time TUEs. Doping Control Officials have been trained at par with international standards for testing enacted by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). They are certified to work as Doping Control Officers. The certification is valid for two years, after which they can undergo refresher training to continue their certification. The Commonwealth Games was a great opportunity for the country to get World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accreditation for National Dope Testing Laboratory (NTDL), Delhi in August 2008. NDTL Delhi is one of the 34 labs around the globe and fully functional with able Scientists and update equipment to cater all requirements of Delhi 2010. It will be supported by 18 scientists from different WADA-accreditated laboratories. The turnaround time for the urine sample results will be 24 to 48 hours. For blood tests it will be one to five days and for EPO tests it will be 72 hours to six days. Samples will be transported from venues to the Doping Control Command Centre to NDTL everyday in two shipments by dedicated doping control staff in secured vehicles along with the required security personnel. The agreement with NDTL MYAS for the analysis of doping control samples has been executed for the period of September 23 to October 14.